Plans Change

Everything was set. Race fees paid, lodging secured, transportation arranged. Training was followed, and I was ready, and even though Hurricane Sandy was hitting the east coast our little trail marathon was still going to happen.

Then life intervened. You know, those pesky not so little things that pop up and force you to stop doing what you’re doing and take notice. Car troubles seem to always cause more then their fair share of turmoil.

Because of this my agenda had to change. Priorities re-aligned. Plans cancelled.

What’s the point? The point is to not let the little things totally derail the big picture. My big picture training goal is run, and I mean run Grindstone 100 in Oct 2013. I’ve laid out a rough year long training schedule. It was to start with the Bobcat Trail Marathon being used as an early reference point. I would have only been training steadily for 16 weeks, with the last 8 of them focused on endurance. A good test of how effective the last 8 weeks had been, and a starting point for the next years training.

But it’s just an arbitrary point. It doesn’t really mean anything when looking at the big picture. It wasn’t a key workout in the long run. It was only going to be used as reference and a confidence builder. More of an ego stroke then an important workout / race.

I had to step back and think about what happens by pushing this long run out a week or two? Nothing good that I can see. My body was ready for the effort this weekend, not 2 – 3 weeks from now. The added stress of planning a self supported 25+ miler is another factor, one that can’t be overlooked.

To pull off a long run in the next week or two was just added stress with little benefit. Life tossed unwanted, unplanned (extra) stress at me. There is no need to double up on that when there will be little to no benefit.

So I don’t get my early marathon length run in. It doesn’t matter in the big picture. Because the big picture is to run Grindstone, and to do it in as healthy a manner as possible.

I’ve got time to run a distance event. Plenty of time to stick to the plan, even when it has to change.